In Australia, the end of the year brings more than summer barbecues and time off. For many organisations, this is a high-pressure period: deadlines, reduced staffing, holiday leave, increased customer demand, and personal stresses. Research shows some key trends:
Many Australian workers actually boost productivity before the break rather than slow down. One survey found 52% of workers reported higher productivity in the holiday run-up.
Yet at the same time there are significant stressors: cost-of-living pressures, shifting expectations about downtime, and the need to "disconnect". For instance, a wellbeing article noted that during the festive period "employers need to watch out for triggers that can heighten anxiety or stress".
The broader workplace wellbeing picture in Australia shows positive overall life satisfaction, but underlying challenges remain: low engagement for many, stress creeping in, and organisational support not always keeping pace.
In the specific festive context, the risk of burnout, absenteeism or "just getting by" can rise. For example, one blog noted that planning ahead and managing workloads helps avoid "festive workplace productivity blues".
So the Christmas period is both an opportunity and a challenge: it can drive finishing strong, team bonding and relief, but if unmanaged it can lead to over-stretch, disengagement, or loss of morale.
Taking care of your team
From a business perspective it's not just about goodwill. Taking care of employees during this period has real implications:
When people are fatigued, distracted, or under-resourced, mistakes increase, quality drops, and service suffers.
Employee judgement and mental health don't pause just because it's December. If people carry unresolved stress into the break, it affects their return.
The cost of disengagement is high. For example, poor wellbeing feeds into absenteeism, presenteeism and turnover.
For employers who want to attract and retain talent, how you handle the "silly season" becomes part of your credibility. Employees notice how you behave when it's busy and ambiguous.
Key actions to support your team this Christmas
Here are some practical steps you can take to look after your people:
1. Plan ahead and communicate clearly
Map out leave schedules early. Ask team members to share their holiday availability and constraints. This avoids last-minute gaps and overload.
Identify critical deadlines, buffer time, and "quiet weeks". Recognise that distractions will increase and build slack accordingly.
Make it clear whether you expect people to disconnect (or partially disconnect) and when (eg. after X date). This reduces ambiguity.
Communicate any changes to standard processes (reduced staffing, shutdown periods) well in advance so people don't feel blind-sided.
2. Encourage structured downtime / disconnection
Research shows that many Australian workers intend to disconnect over the holiday period but not all feel encouraged to. Eg only ~32% reported they were fully able to disconnect.
As an employer, you can set the tone: model that it's OK to wind down, clarify expectations about responsiveness, consider "email-freeze" days or designated offline periods.
For teams working over the break (retail, hospitality, essential services) ensure they have adequate rest, rotate fairness, and compensate for the time appropriately.
3. Monitor wellbeing and address triggers
The festive period amplifies certain stressors: personal financial pressure (gifts, travel), family or social obligations, reduced sleep or disrupted routines.
Offer or promote mental-health resources: for example employee assistance programs (EAPs), peer check-ins, informal drop-in sessions.
Encourage earlier leave if someone is struggling rather than waiting until performance drops.
Managers should look out for signs of fatigue, irritability, increased errors or changes in behaviour and intervene early.
4. Adapt workload, recognise effort, build connection
Review workloads: if you expect team members to finish the year strong, ask whether that is realistic and what help they need.
Recognise contribution: a small gesture (thank you note, team lunch, flexible day off) goes a long way in reinforcing value.
Foster connection: the holiday season can fragment teams (people on leave, mixed shifts). Consider short team gatherings (daytime is fine), virtual check-in if remote, or shared holiday planning ideas.
5. Be inclusive and flexible
Celebrate diversity: Christmas means different things to different people (culture, religion, family situation). Don't assume everyone is "in the mood" for the same style of celebration.
Offer flexible leave or half-day options around public holidays, allow part-time shifts for those balancing family commitments.
If your shutdown schedule means people come back fresh in the New Year, communicate that clearly so team members can plan personal time accordingly.
How this fits the Sensacare mindset
Since your focus is on building strong organisational practices (for example through your work with Sensacare Business and related projects), consider these refinements:
Use this period to demonstrate culture in action. How you manage the December phase says more about your values than any formal policy.
Integrate the holiday season into your broader employee wellbeing framework. For example, note that the end of year is a key risk window for disengagement or burnout and build it into your annual planning.
Document what works this year so you can refine for next year: track leave patterns, stress indicators, feedback from staff, perception of how the season was managed.
Wrap-up
The Christmas season is a unique window: the pace shifts, expectations change, personal and professional lives intersect in different ways.
By planning ahead, supporting downtime, monitoring wellbeing, adapting workload and building inclusive connection, you can navigate this period in a way that leaves your team healthier, engaged and ready for the new year.